SEE: Iranian Cinema at New York’s First Iranian Film Festival

A brand-spankin’-new addition to NYC’s international cinema offerings, the 1st annual Iranian Film Festival New York presents a selection of critically acclaimed films from one of the world’s most artistically distinguished national cinemas.

The festival’s Opening Night screening on Thursday, Jan 10 at 7pm will serve as the NY premiere of TALE OF THE SEA (2018, 97 min) followed by a Q&A with writer-director-star Bahman Farmanara. A veteran of Iranian Cinema since the 1970s and longtime political dissident of the post-revolution Iranian Government, Farmanara has always been cutting edge.

After four-year ban in Iran, Farmanara’s controversial comedy-drama I WANT TO DANCE (2014, 95 min) is finally being released and will have its NY premiere at the festival, along with a retrospective screening of the filmmaker’s striking political allegory TALL SHADOWS OF THE WIND (1978), an iconic work of the Iranian New Wave.